Cyprus-Forum.com

[insan]

By George Gregoriou
I read Michalis Ignatiou’s interview with Archbishop Iakovos in the Greek News (July 21) on the tragic events in Cyprus in 1974 with great interest. What appears in this feature article is a factual reportage of the behind-the-scenes exchange between Iakovos and Kissinger. There is no doubt that Iakovos’ positioning, as a Turkish citizen whose tenure as Archbishop depended on the Patriarch, was untenable. But there are certain facts which need to be stated for the historical record. Otherwise, the interview and the reportage in the Greek News would be incomplete.

Greek-Americans in the anti-junta movement have another version of these events. What Archbishop Iakovos did for Cyprus with the powers that be in Washington and to promote the return of Karamanlis to Athens in 1974 are peripheral to the larger historical role he played. Iakovos, to be sure, is not responsible for the junta coup d’ etat on April 21, 1967 nor did he determine US policy towards Greece. Greece came under American hegemony since the Greek Civil War, with its politics and economy, its military-intelligence apparatuses, and Cyprus policy determined by this clientelist relationship. Key positions in government, the military, and the Greek CIA (KYP) were cleared through the Palace and the U.S. embassy in Athens.
It is also well-known that Archbishop Iakovos, along with the Greek-American establishment, was an ardent supporter of the junta,. Those of us in the anti-junta movement had no illusions on this. I was at one of the clerical-laity conventions in Athens. I was not invited. I followed the Greek-Americans, thinking they being treated to a classical play in Athens. It was a play alright, a gathering of Greek orthodox priests and laity from the U.S. The theater we were treated was the appearance of dictator Papadopoulos and company. I was sitting at the bleeches, surrounded by KYP men, observing the accolates of the Greek clergy and laity to the fascist thugs for saving Greece for the “Christian Greeks” and the United States-NATO. My knees were shivering, made worse because I took another person with me who had no idea how deeply I was involved in the anti-junta movement. I saw nothing but enemies all around me, including the Archbishop and his entourage.

History is not like a bus ride, one gets on or off the bus at will. Those who supported the junta and its criminal actions in Cyprus bear responsibility for the tragic events in 1974. These events are still with us, 30 years later. The U.S. governments were not innocent bystanders. Their pro-Turkish policy is well-known, from the 1950s to 1974 or 2003.

Ignatiou’s interview reveals something else. What a bafoon Kissinger was. He assumed the thousands of Greek Americans who took to the streets would go home if Iakovos or someone else sent them! Or the millions of Greeks around the world would forgive and forget the treacherous policies with the passage of time. Greeks still remember 1453 and 1922, why would they forget 1974?

The “tiff” between Iakovos and Kissinger is of no consequence. If there is any absolution for the Archbishop and his junta supporters it has to come from the 200,000 refugees in Cyprus, the thousands dead and missing, and those who suffered the seven-year junta in Greece and the partition of Cyprus. So many lives have been damaged by these events and tragedy, way beyond the 30 years. I am not prepared to forgive Archbishop Iakovos and his circle of junta supporters, nor the Greek junta establishment or Washington for hoisting the junta on the Greek people and giving it the green light to overthrow Makarios and Turkey to partition Cyprus.

George Gregoriou
Professor, Critical Theory and Geopolitics
The William Paterson University, N.J.

[insan]

[From The Times (London), Dec. 6, 1974]
EoKA Ready To Accept Makarios Return to Restricted Church Role

(From Paul Martin)

Nicosia, Dec. 5. — The Eoka guerrilla movement has declared that it will accept the return of Archbishop Makarios if he gives up the presidency and restricts himself to church affairs. The Eoka declaration came as thousands of Greek Cypriots began to arrive in the capital to hear the archbishop speak on his return from the exile forced upon him by the July coup.

There is a growing air of excitement among the archbishop's supporters as the hour of his return approaches. Originally he was to have flown in from Athens on Friday. However, at the last minute, it was announced by his supporters that "technical reasons" had caused a delay of 24 hours.

The Eoka movement, which remains bitterly opposed to the archbishop, made its stand clear in a 10-point manifesto circulated in Nicosia overnight. Although it takes a strong line against the archbishop it is the first time it has agreed to his return.

Calling for national unity among Greek Cypriots, the manifesto sets out the conditions under which the Eoka movement would accept his return. It accused the archbishop of deliberately ignoring advice from "friends and foes" about the possible adverse consequences of his decision.



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"Makarios has declared that on his return he will succeed in securing a return of Greek CjqDriot refugees to their homes", the manifesto said. He also declared that he would lead the struggle to end the Turkish occupation. We believe that both are illusions. However, we shall not block his way in order to prove once more that he conscientiously deceives his people."

The manifesto declared that the task facing the Greek Cypriot people allowed "room for everybody to take part in the national struggle". However, it added: "It is necessary for him to realize that his presence in the political arena will result in division and conflict." This rendered his "speedy withdrawal from politics" a necessity.

It went on to reiterate the Eoka stand that any attempt to reestablish the
Makarios order, ousted by the coup, would result in continued confhct in the Greek Cypriot community, "If ^Makarios does not heed this then his return will constitute an epilogue to the Cyprus tragedy."

Opening the way for the Archbishop's return as head of the Cyprus church, the manifesto said: If he comes to give a solution to the ecclesiastical problem
in accordance with the church heirarchy, then we shall contribute. The solution of the chiirch problem is a basic ingredient for national unitj'^ among the Oreek Cypriots. It is a question of great urgency."

The manifesto then went on to warn the Archbishop that even if he does
restrict himself to the church, he must heed the factions inside the church who opposed him. "If Makarios does not take a responsible hue he will find us a strong and unyielding opponent."

The Eoka movement, the manifesto added, did not try to prevent Archbishop Makarios's return by using force. "However the national centre must know that if Makarios is to repeat the recent past, Cyprus viH inevitably be led to a bloody civil strife."

[insan]

Link of the article.

www.greeknewsonline.com/modules.php?nam ... le&sid=347

[insan]

Milti bro, could u please clerify whether the above manifesto declared by EOKA or EOKA-B? I'm getting confused abt the 2 EOKAS. However since the leader of 2 EOKAS was same; the essentials of their mentality should also have been same. No?

[insan]

Do any Greek or GC have any idea why the resistence fighters couldn't stop and ward off all those EOKA-B guerillas and their backers; neither before 1974, nor during the coup or even till 1976?

I guess, Pirates, Nikites, Oracles, Miltiades, Heracles, Socrates etc. have strong arguments regarding this issue. I also wonder the opinions of Bananiot. DT always prefered to escape in order not to answer this question. Bill C stayed away. Hmmm... GR has no idea, I'm sure. Hmm... Sotos too... ermm... Where is Pyrolizer btw? Only Othellos could answer this question , i guess... and once there was an ex-EOKA-B member among CF members we were discussing some issues calmly...

[insan]

GR! ... GG has ur type of mentality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gregoriou

[insan]

Maybe boomerang could answer the above questions...

[insan]

Maybe Jerry the idiot, staphilynoidea could answer above mentioned questions...

[insan]

Do any Greek or GC have any idea why the resistence fighters couldn't stop and ward off all those EOKA-B guerillas and their backers; neither before 1974, nor during the coup or even till 1976?

I guess, Pirates, Nikites, Oracles, Miltiades, Heracles, Socrates etc. have strong arguments regarding this issue. I also wonder the opinions of Bananiot. DT always prefered to escape in order not to answer this question. Bill C stayed away. Hmmm... GR has no idea, I'm sure. Hmm... Sotos too... ermm... Where is Pyrolizer btw? Only Othellos could answer this question , i guess... and once there was an ex-EOKA-B member among CF members we were discussing some issues calmly...

[bill cobbett]

Er... I have a far more pressing matter Insan.....

WTF is a " staphilowotsit " - something to do with grapes?